Editorial of December 26, 2024

Greetings, Friends

With apologies to “The New Yorker”

Greetings, friends, another year
Has threatened us with questionable cheer
We’ve tried to be thrilled with the way we are going
But some of us fell, and that storm just keeps blowing.

This Trump and Musk duo, a new collaboration
Is a change of direction for our grand old nation
Whether we all will sink or, please, swim
Depends on our once/future president’s mere whim.

The year’s gone at last, and some deep breaths we are taking
Let’s prepare for this new one, with hope in the making.
Here in Otsego, our days have been changing
They’re getting much warmer, the lake’s depth has been ranging.

The fields are still green, they produce acres of hay
But the farms here are shrinking and going away.
We do have some good folks, who help us along
Their go-getting efforts are making us strong.

For instance, our mayors, Ellen Tillapaugh, Mark Drnek,
Keep things moving along so our towns aren’t a wreck.
They fix roads and mend bridges, they pick up debris
And they brighten our main streets with big Christmas trees.

Happy New Year, non-profits, you hard-working groups
Just keep right on going, don’t stop your grand coups.
Otsego Land Trust and 2000, OCCA and the Field Station
OLA, LEAF and our libraries, the Community Foundation.

Pathfinder and Springbrook, Helios and Lions too
And hundred-year Rotary, Christmas cheer goes to you.
Happy New Year SQSPCA, Stacie’s ever alert
Finding fur-friends good homes, taking care they aren’t hurt.

A thousand ho hos, Charlie Lambert, our hoops star
And to Milford’s O’Connor, whose record goes far.
The girls OHS track team, now best in the state,
And the Voice of the Steelers, Rob King, how you rate.

Here’s to OAR, the group that’s rowing,
We applaud you for your youth program’s growing.
Devin Sailer, you too, deserve Santa’s praise
For stopping in D.C., food allergy awareness to raise.

Dan Sullivan, in Richfield, in his shop does great work
Keeping track of the millions, a grant from New York.
Here’s to Bassett’s health network, may we trust in your care
To our dentists, and vets, and to people who dare.

Santa celebrates birthdays, they’re all over the place
Those people dress up, they wear diamonds and lace
Elva Baffa’s 100, Santa’s doffing his hat
Weaver’s Market is 5, Cooper Country Crafts 10 times that.

ORHA is 40, Mel’s 10, grab a beer
And our Glimmerglass Festival is 50 this year.
Gilbertsville’s fire department’s 150,
Cooperstown’s has a new truck that’s really quite nifty.
And now its new members, Jim Patrick, Chris Hulse
Are firemen too, and Hulse checks your pulse.

Catskill Symphony, Fenimore Chamber, congratulations and thanks
You’ve both entertained us, you’re our French fries and franks
The Summer Music Festival too has been here for decades
In Otsego music is thriving, its voice never fades.

Tjibbe Lambers at The Otesaga, Todd Kenyon at Fenimore
Keep us aware of their good things in store.
And we can’t forget Springfield, where the parade is a lark
And Hyde Hall rises regally, thanks to you and yours, George Clarke.

On Dancer and Prancer, fly high, do not bump
Throw out lots of praise for Goodyear’s Polar Bear Jump.
Need a chariot? Get a car, or a bike, tractor or sleigh
Country Club and Kevin’s are not far away.

And at Five Star Subaru, where Ben Guenther holds court
He’ll help people and projects, whatever they sport.
So, on again Comet, and Cupid so swift
Take note that our villages and towns aren’t adrift.

There’s some baseball, a lot, but other things happen here too
There are clothes shops and toy shops and lake things to do
There are museums like Fenimore, both the art and the farm
Art Garage, Smithy and Yager all still have their charm.

And in case you run out of these good things to do
There’s the great baseball Hall that will lure you in too.
If you want to know more of what’s in for a caper
You can find everything out in our very old paper.

Iron String Press, strong as ever, still growing
Keeps us all in the know, keeps us all not not knowing.
Terry, Sam, Tom, Richard and Larry—you write perfect columns.
Jamie, Cassandra, Erna and Rachel—how great are your volumes.

To the top of the town, we press on to the stars
With our reporters Teresa, Caspar, Monica and Charles.
Welch and Northrup write letters we try always to carry
We’re pleased, though, with comments we get from Ms. Barry.

And so, as it happens, the year’s going away.
Long live a new bright one, high hopes for each day.
We’ve gotten through bad times, be that as it may.
Happy New Year, thanks Santa, for coming our way.